It was a snowy time of year during this Winter Festival when everyone from all around got together to show off their different talents and shop owners would set up booths to sell their wares in their stores. The King and Queen would chaperone some of their students from the local school so that parents could see what their child could become at the school of Knights and Pages. This year the festival was being held in the town of Dragano which was between Surkim and Dragon Fang. It was early during the morning when all you could hear were screams coming from Lord Dominic's home where Lady Elizabeth was struggling to give birth to their very first child.Lady Elizabeth and Lord Dominic had been married for seven years before she conceived this very special child. It was foretold that his magic would bring peace to their world, and they would have many years of great wealth. Finally, after many hours, Lady Elizabeth delivered a beautiful, healthy baby boy. They had already picked the name Airow, after his father. Lord Dominic went and made an announcement that his lovely wife had just delivered him a son and his name is Airow. He went back inside to where his wife was lying and caressed her cheek proudly. He had a certain box in his hand which he opened, showing his love and appreciation. It was a beautiful necklace of pearls with a dangling sapphire pendant. He also placed a crystal fang pendant around his son's neck, attached for him to wear with pride, representing his family's magic.
In another house, at the same time, Sir Jonah’s wife was also in labor with their first child. She struggled for twelve hours and finally a little girl was born. She had brown curls and the brightest green eyes. But because of the long labor, his wife lost a lot of blood and died. Lord Dominic heard the most sorrowful cry and knew immediately what had happened. He rushed over to Sir Jonah’s home and found the infant in her crib crying and Jonah holding his wife’s hand. Lord Dominic went over and laid his hand on his friend’s shoulder to comfort him. Sir Jonah looked up and then Lord Dominic that he had a lovely little girl to take care of.
“Remember, you have to take good care of her so that she can grow up and marry my son.” Said Lord Dominic.
Jonah stood and went to the infant and picked her up and was able to quiet her. Dominic was going to see if his housecleaner who had just had a baby a couple of months ago would be the baby’s wetnurse. Jonah spoke up and said that her name will be Jade, like the color of her eyes.
“Lord Dominic, your wife and mine made a promise to each other that if anything happened, the other would nurse the child so that the bond between them would be closer.” Said Sir Jonah.
So, they wrapped the little girl up and went to go see his wife. When she saw what they were bringing, she reached up for the little girl and cried as her best friend had passed away. She would take care of the little girl and make sure she grew up to the sweetest thing ever.
It had been a month since the birth of Airow when Lady Elizabeth's sister talked her into taking a stroll in the market. While walking down the main isle, they had stopped near the baby shop to get Airow a new blanket. A small child was heard screaming down this alley. Lady Elizabeth, being a knight, took off to help with her sister in tow. As they reached the child, bandits jumped out and stabbed her from behind, leaving her body to die on the ground.When Lord Dominic got home, he went looking for his wife and son. Since he could not find them there, he went in to see Elsa about what was for the evening meal. Soon there was a knock at the door. Some of his knights asked Lord Dominic to follow them. Lord Dominic asked about his son. Where is my son? He is always with his mother. The knights assured him there was no one else.
Five years have passed since the death of his beloved Lady Elizabeth and the kidnapping of his son Airow. Lord Dominic was known as a retired Knight searching for any clue about his son. Being a retired Knight and Lord, he was able to spend most of his time trying to find some kind of clue to the location of his son and the murder of his beloved wife. Lord Ethan had on numerous times tried to persuade Lord Dominic to train his son, but Lord Dominic refused as he just didn't have it in him.On the other side of Dragano, Lord Ethan was busy training his son in the basics and fine art of becoming a page and a knight.
“Airow, you had better stand still, if you know what is good for you.” Exclaimed Ethan.
“Father, in a real battle my opponent is not going to be still so neither should Airow." Explained Arron.
“We will worry about that when you actually start page training, so get ready to strike.” Advised Ethan.
Arron ran to start his attack but as he tried to strike Airow with the wooden sword something amazing happened. In just a single second, Airow not only dodged the sword, he also jumped ten feet backwards. Arron ran to Airow to make sure that he was alright as he always considered Airow his younger brother.
“Airow that was amazing, you jumped ten feet backwards.” Exclaimed Arron. How did you do that?
Airow did not know, he just thought that was what you were supposed to do. Ethan had always thought the boy Airow was strange. No matter how many times he beat him, he would never cry out and he never bruised. Airow was a kind and gentle child even considering the circumstances of how he came to be in Ethan’s care. After his conversation with Arron, he snuck off to meet with his friend Jade at the stables to have some fun. Airow was not allowed to leave the house. If his father found out that he was going to the stables to meet his friend, he would surely be beaten.
After five minutes of running to make sure his father would not notice that he was gone, Airow finally reached the stables. Airow went searching for his friend Jade, who seemed to have not arrived yet.
“Prepare for your kingdom to fall young knight." Called a voice from behind.
He turned around and noticed a girl who was his age and had emerald-colored eyes. This girl was his best friend, Jade.
“You will never defeat me, evil doer.” Exclaimed Airow.
As usual they pretended to be knights of good and evil. Today, Jade chose to be the evil knight which meant her objective was to conquer the kingdom
meaning the Dragano stables
. If you wonder why they talk like adults, they were always talked to as adults and had been treated that way since able to walk. Ethan had always made Airow work the fields and treated him cruelly but his brother had always treated him with kindness and as an equal. Jade had chores where she helped around the stables. She was responsible for feeding and watering the horses plus she had her chores in the house to take care of her father.
They were using wooden swords that her father had made for them and practiced around the training court. Jade went to stab Airow, and he jumped nine feet backwards. When he did, he hit the poles where the gate was attached. He then hit the ground and rebounded to stab and jab back. Jade ran up to him very quickly to check and make sure that Airow was okay and did not get hurt.
“How did you do that?” Asked Jade.
Airow seemed confused because he didn’t really know what he had done. It was just something he learned to do especially if Ethan was coming after him. At that very moment, they heard someone clapping. They could not see anyone until they saw a shadow walking towards them.
“That is very impressive for five-year old." Exclaimed the stranger.
“Who are you sir?” Asked Airow.
But before he could answer, Jade interrupted by saying, you don’t know who he is. When Airow shook his head, Jade began to wonder if he was even allowed to leave his house. They had become friends one day when Airow had been with Arron. Jade knew that no one was allowed to know about their friendship as Arron had told her it would be bad for Airow.
“My name is Lord Dominic, the rightful leader ruler of Dragano unlike that snake Ethan proclaims to be." Exclaimed Sir Dominic. “If you don’t mind me asking then, who are you children?"
“I’m Jade, daughter of Jonah, the stablemaster." Exclaimed Jade proudly.
“I’m Airow, second son of Lord Ethan the so-called snake." Exclaimed Airow shyly.
Hearing the boy’s name brought pain into his heart and thoughts.
“Let’s meet here tomorrow so we may talk." Exclaimed Sir Dominic.
The three of them left and Jade and Airow left the stable.
Lord Dominic went home that night full of questions without any signs of answers. He kept searching his memory for when Ethan’s wife had a second child since she was his wife’s sister. Then someone came knocking on his door.
“Sir Dominic, we have found the bandits whom we believe were responsible for you wife’s death and the disappearance of your son." Exclaimed Sir Peter.
This statement brought a bounce to his step and hope to his heart. Now maybe his wife could rest in peace, and he could find his son. He already had missed five years of his life. They soon walked into the court room to judge the bandits for their crime.
? “Lord Dominic will now use his magic to scan your memories." Exclaimed Lord Harrison.
Harrison was the fifth-degree knight of the Dragano Court. Lord Dominic placed his hands on the first bandit’s head to search for memories of the incident. His first vision was of this man and Lord Ethan planning the kidnapping and death of his son. The second vision was of them killing his beloved wife, Lady Elizabeth. His third vision was that of a baby about to be killed but instead suddenly a white stream of magic emitted from his son. This magic materialized into the shape of a huge wolf, which attacked the men, and they ran off. His final vision is that of Lord Ethan picking up that Airow and running off with him.
“You know what your son possesses?" Asked the bandit.
“So, this magic does exist?” Asked the bandit.
“Yes, it is very real and probably very uncontrollable due to his age." Exclaimed Lord Dominic.
Without the power to show others the vision, he had no proof that Ethan had his son or was the cause of the entire attack. But he was going to find out if Airow was his son. The next day, Airow went to see his friend Jade. He had to sneak off so that his father would not find out or else he would not be able to sit down for a while. Airow and Jade waited for their new friend Lord Dominic to arrive. As always, Jade was calm, but Airow was extremely nervous and anxious. In his mind and his heart, he felt as if he had known Lord Dominic all his life. But he knew that was not true and he remembered hearing his father tell Arron that Sir Dominic was worthless and when he became the ruler of Dragano, things were going to be different. While he was lost in thought, Sir Dominic arrived at the stables.
“So, tell me where you two learned to be so grown up and use swords like you do?” Asked Lord Dominic.
So, Airow began his explanation first.
“Actually, I learned from a Spector from my dreams,” said Airow a little embarrassed to tell him.
Jade said the same thing goes for her. Lord Dominic found this very curious.
“What kind of Spector?” Asked Dominic.
Jade tells of her Spector being like a cat.
“Well, mine is a wolf." Said Airow.
It shows me how to fight and protect myself. Sometimes when I am helping Arron train, things will happen that I can’t explain.
? “Like what?” asked Lord Dominic.
Well, I have been helping train Arron and then somehow, I will jump backwards. I don’t know why. It just happens.? Jade remembers that her father said that they had court this morning.
“Is it true that they caught the bandits that killed your wife and took your son?” Asked Jade.
? “Yes, the bandits did indeed kill my wife but someone else took my son." Explained Lord Dominic.
“What was your son’s name?” Asked Airow.
“My son’s name was the same as yours. It was Airow." Said Lord Dominic.
As he watched Airow, Dominic noticed that he had a similar trait to his wife, her eyes. They sparkled and danced when they spoke. They were also the same color as hers. She had the brightest blue eyes that he had ever seen. So, Lord Dominic began to tell the story about and behind Airow’s name. My father’s name was Airow. He had a great magic in him and was a great knight in his time. But he died long before I married Lady Elizabeth and Airow’s birth. As Airow listened to the story, a feeling came over him like no other. Airow reached into his pocket and pulled out his crystal fang pendant. He then placed it into Lord Dominic's hand. When Lord Dominic saw the pendant, he went into shock and anger.
“How did you get this?" Asked Lord Dominic.
Airow told him that he had it for as long as I can remember. My father told me that I was wearing this when he found me in an alley lying next to my dead mother. Suddenly Lord Dominic knew he had found his true son, but he had to be sure.
“Airow, will you meet me at the clinic tomorrow so that we can add your blood to the area computer that way you will be registered as a part of Dragano. It is a new program we are starting.” Said Lord Dominic.
Airow volunteered not knowing that his blood was already there. So now all Dominic had to do was to wait and not say anything till the results come back. Lord Dominic felt he knew that Airow would be his son, but he had to be sure.
